Tours

At EFTF 2026, the conference experience continues on Friday 24 April in the afternoon with a selection of optional tours designed to let participants discover more of the Netherlands’ scientific, cultural, and historical richness. These activities will offer a relaxed and engaging way to conclude the week, providing both exploration and informal networking opportunities.

National Metrology Institute

VSL (Van Swinden Laboratorium, named after the 18th century Dutch scientist) is the National Metrology Institute in The Netherlands.
VSL manages and develops primary measurement standards and primary reference materials on behalf of the Dutch government. These measurement standards are the foundation for reliable measurements in science, industry, fair trade and other areas.

VSL also participates in research projects to develop newer and better measurement methods.

We make measurement results from companies, laboratories and institutes directly traceable to national and international standards. We also calibrate measuring instruments on behalf of customers, produce reference materials, organise interlaboratory comparisons and transfer our metrology knowledge by providing training and consultancy.

VSL is a globally recognised metrology institute. Our knowledge and services provide a major contribution to the reliability, quality and innovation of products and processes in business and society.

In brief:

Globally recognised metrology institute
Management and development of national measurement standards and measurement techniques
Outstanding expertise and high-tech laboratories
The bridge between science and industry

VSL provides the most accurate calibrations in terms of time and frequency that can be traced directly back to the national time standard. The scope of VSL ranges from frequency measurements with an uncertainty of 0.000 000 000 000 2 Hz/Hz to stopwatch calibrations with an uncertainty of 0.014 seconds per day.

As spaces will be limited and final details are still being defined, we invite participants to express their interest onsite at the Registration Desk during the conference.

ESA ESTEC Visit

Visit the ESA technical heart, ESTEC!
ESA has sites in several European countries, but the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, is the largest. ESTEC is our technical heart - the incubator of the European space effort - where most ESA projects are born and where they are guided through the various phases of development.

The visit is scheduled from 14:00 to 18:00.

As spaces will be limited and final details are still being defined, we invite you to express interest via a short form which will be sent out to all conference participants soon. You will be informed if you have been selected to join the visit.